NILES — The Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Saturday concluded their 2023 season with a 6-3 win over State College at Eastwood Field.

The victory, combined with a Williamsport loss, moved the Scrappers out of the basement of the MLB Draft League. The Scrappers finished the season with a 30-42 record.

The Scrappers scored a run in the first inning, then put together a five-run second inning to secure the win. Leadoff hitter Braylin Marine went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Corey King went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in.

Despite the losing record, Scrappers manager Dmitri Young said there were “a lot of positives” to take away from the 2023 season.

Topping Young’s list was the play of Scrappers infielder Mason Sykes. While playing the entire season with the Scrappers, Sykes batted .292. He led the league in hits (75), doubles (22), RBI (56) and runs scored (51). Sykes was second in the league with six home runs.

“Unfortunately Mason was with us the entire summer, and I say unfortunately because I felt like he should have been one of those players that either got drafted or was signed as a free agent, he’s that good,” Young said. “He’s an athletic young man, he hits for power and average and he’s great to have in the locker room. A great team player.

“We played Mason at first and in the outfield during the first half of the season, and then he told us he’s pretty comfortable at third base. We said, ‘It’s all yours for the second half of the season’ and man did he show off his skills.”

Other every-day players earning the praise of Young included outfielders T.J. Reeves and D’Aires Davis, along with infielders King and David Bermuzez.

“T.J. we call the silent assassin,” Young said. “He doesn’t say much, and when he’s on the field he has that snarl on his face. But he’s a really nice guy and he does everything right. He runs the bases, has a great arm, he hits and he plays the field well.

“D’Aires led us with twenty-five stolen bases. He was a threat every time he reached base and he played a crazy good center field.”

King (.345 batting average) and Bermudez (.320 batting average) also paced the Scrappers’ offense throughout the second half of the season.

“Both of those guys just knew how to get on base, they’re natural hitters who were able to produce in just about every game, in just about every situation,” Young said.

Pitchers Trae Robertson and Jalen Long were also among the second-half players who caught Young’s attention.

“Trae really started to tear it up as the season went on, and his best outing was his last. He was showing constant progression with each start. He just loves to compete,” Young said. “Jalen, when he became a starter he really started letting his talent flow. He became a different pitcher when we moved him out of the bullpen.”

Young, a first-year manager in the Draft League, said he was “highly impressed and pleasantly surprised” at the talent level league-wide.

“My biggest takeaway from the season was the talent level in both halves,” Young said. “Coming into the league, I had heard about the great results from the first two years but until you see that talent on an everyday basis you don’t appreciate just how strong this league really is.”

The Major League Baseball Draft, held in July, included 47 players who spent time in the MLB Draft League. Of those, 34 played in the league in the first half of the 2023 season. The other 13 were part of the league in 2022.

Among them were eight former Scrappers.

Young said that his time with the Scrappers was a “one-and-done,” noting that he expects to land a job with an MLB organization in the future.

“I’ve had some discussions with a few affiliates, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some other opportunity comes out of nowhere, that’s baseball,” Young said. “Being here this summer really put me back into the coaching mindset, and it gave me the drive to be at that next level.”

“Baseball, with all of its numbers and analytics, still needs a hands-on approach. That’s something I think I can bring to the table.”

Young noted that he leaves the Mahoning Valley “with nothing but great memories and positive experiences.”

“This was a great learning process for me,” Young said. “Being here for the kids every day, making out the lineups, throwing batting practice, co-existing with the coaches, all of it made me a better coach going forward.

“Most importantly, I feel like the vast majority of our players will leave with a positive mindset. A lot of these players won’t continue in baseball. If this was their last moments in the game and they move on in life from here, I want this summer to be looked back on as a positive experience.”

The Scrappers haven’t produced a winning season in five years. After finishing 42-33 in 2018, the Scrappers lost in the semifinals of the New York-Penn League playoffs. In their final season in the NYPL in 2019, the Scrappers finished 37-39.

No games were played in 2020 due to COVID. The Scrappers returned to the field in 2021 as a member of the Draft League. They finished 27-28-2 in 2021 and 32-47 in 2022.

The Scrappers will return to Eastwood Field next June for the start of the 2024 season.